An annotated image from IBM’s face set Diversity in faces for face recognition systems.
IBM
LONDON – The use of artificial intelligence software for mass surveillance and ranking of social behavior may soon be banned in Europe, according to draft legislation shared online.
The 81-page document, first reported by Politico, states “indiscriminate supervision of natural persons should be prohibited when applied in a general manner to all persons without distinction.”
This adds to the observation methods can include the monitoring and detection of people in digital and physical environments.
Regarding social creditworthiness, which is already used in China, the draft legislation states: ‘AI systems used for social purposes’ should be banned.
Certain uses of ‘high-risk’ AI may be completely banned, according to the document, while others may not be able to enter the block if they do not meet certain standards.
A European Commission spokesman told CNBC: “The Commission intends to adopt the regulatory framework on AI next Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Therefore, any text you may see before is by definition not ‘legal’. “We do not comment on leaks.”
Balance sheet
AI systems that are considered high risk should be investigated if they are to be deployed and the creators of the system may need to show that they have been trained in a traceable manner and with human oversight on impartial datasets.
It is understood that companies inside and outside the EU could be fined 20 million euros ($ 24 million) or 4% of global revenue if they violate laws that have not yet been enacted.
The proposals will be formally announced next week by the European Commission, the EU’s executive, and may change until such time. They must be voted on before they are introduced.
The European Commission seeks to strike the right balance between supporting innovation and ensuring AI for the benefit of 500 million people. If the proposals are adopted, Europe could differentiate itself from the US and China, which have yet to introduce any serious AI regulation.
Omer Tene, vice president of a non-profit organization, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, said via Twitter that the legislation ‘is the typical Brussels approach to new technology and innovation. Regulate in doubt. ‘
Samim Winiger, an AI researcher in Berlin, Germany, told CNBC that the EU is ‘far behind’ China and the US in the AI race.
“I find it quite difficult to understand how the introduction of highly complex AI regulations in a niche market will have a real impact on the development of ‘AI’ worldwide,” he said.